Lin Thorp (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you; I acknowledge that interjection—including wine, which is extremely important.

Many members here would know that Tasmania has plentiful rainfall and plentiful arable land. The issue we have is to make sure that we have that water resource available to us during those times of the growing season when irrigation is required. It is as a consequence of an incredible partnership between this Labor government, of which I am proud to be a member, and our state government—a Labor government—that my state is paused to become the food bowl of the nation.

I take up the comments made by the previous speaker, Senator Macdonald, who mentioned that on his trade mission he was in Asian countries that refer to the next boom as being around food. There are many people who are anticipating that Tasmania may well become the food bowl of the nation because we have the land and we have the rainfall; what we need is the irrigation. The partnership between the federal Labor government and the state Labor government has led to a commitment of an investment of $220 million to make this come true. That is nearly a quarter of a billion dollars that is currently being rolled out in Tasmania to make this happen. This money is going towards the development of sustainable irrigation schemes in Tasmania.

Any of you who have had the pleasure of being in Tasmania and visiting the wine areas referred to by my Tasmanian colleague Senator Whish-Wilson may have had the opportunity to go to the Coal River Valley, which lies not far outside Hobart. In the last 25 years that has gone from an area that was lucky to sustain pretty hand-to-mouth farming, in many ways, to an absolutely lush and wonderful area that is growing an incredible range of stone fruits and supporting the most wonderful mixed and varied farming that is all the result of irrigation coming from the Craigbourne Dam—a big project. Now we are seeing these same projects being rolled out around the state. Sensitively placed, those of them that have approval have gone through very stringent environmental examination so that we know that they will be there for the future and will be supporting our farming.

To date, approximately $125.5 million has been released to Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Ltd for the development of these schemes. This includes $16.7 million for the Meander Valley pipelines, which have been completed and are now fully operational; $4.93 million for the Whitemore Irrigation Scheme, which was completed and launched in May 2011; $6.03 million for the Sassafras Wesley Vale Irrigation Scheme, which commenced operations late in 2011; $2.12 million for the Headquarters Road Dam Irrigation Scheme, which also commenced operations in 2011; $6.23 million for the Winnaleah Irrigation Scheme, which has been commissioned and will commence operations shortly; $5.9 million for the planning and assessment phase of the Midlands Water Scheme; $12.7 million to assist farmers who were able to demonstrate hardship due to the recent floods, to purchase water from Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Ltd schemes;    $7.12 million of the $8.8 million for the Lower South Esk Irrigation Scheme, which is currently under construction; $32.3 million of the $73 million for the Midlands Water Scheme, which has recently been approved; $29 million for feasibility and planning of the schemes mentioned previously, and administration of Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Ltd; and $1.4 million in emergency works to existing irrigation schemes. This is the kind of support that farmers and our farming communities want. They want to be able to build their future knowing that they have got reliable water resources so that they can plant the crops that they need and run the animals that they need well into the future. This is the kind of support that is given to the Tasmanian people by this Labor government.

During the 2012-13 financial year, a further $52 million will be provided for the construction of a number of schemes, including the Midlands Water Scheme. There are irrigation projects at various stages in 12 regions of the state. The Whitemore Irrigation Scheme is operational and completed its first irrigation season earlier this year. It is designed to deliver 5½ thousand megalitres of water over the summer period to about 12,000 hectares of farmland stretching from near the foot of the Western Tiers to just north of the Bass Highway near Carrick. The Headquarters Road Dam near Scottsdale is operational and has also completed its inaugural irrigation season. It is designed to deliver about 2,000 megalitres annually to an irrigable area of 1,800 hectares along the Great Forester River nearly as far as the coast east of Bridport. The Sassafras Wesley Vale Irrigation Scheme is another operational project which has had its first irrigation season. It is designed to deliver nearly 5½ thousand megalitres annually to 10,650 hectares of farmland extending from Devonport almost to Port Sorell and down to Latrobe.

The Winnaleah Irrigation Scheme augmentation was completed in April this year and has been officially opened. This will provide an additional 3,700 megalitres of water to take the Winnaleah scheme's total licence capacity to 6,950 megalitres and extend its irrigable area to a total of approximately 4½ thousand hectares. It will supply water during the coming 2012-13 irrigation season. So you can understand the level of excitement occurring in the Tasmanian farming community.

The program to irrigate the Midlands of Tasmania is underway. This comprises two schemes: the Lower South Esk Irrigation Scheme and the Midlands Water Scheme—the Arthurs Pipeline. Together they will deliver a total of 43,800 megalitres. Construction of both schemes has commenced. Not only will these in the long term be providing the water for the arable land that I have referred to earlier but, of course, there is a lot of work and a lot of employment going into the construction of the dams.

Water sales to landowners to be serviced by the Kindred North Motton Irrigation Scheme have been successful. Farmers are supporting this very well. This scheme is planned to deliver 2½ megalitres of water annually to an irrigable area of 8,485 hectares of some of Tasmania's prime cropping country in the central north-west. The project is scheduled to move from the design and approvals phase to the construction phase imminently.

The South East Irrigation Scheme also is in the planning and approvals phase following acceptance of the project's business case. This will supply more than 5,000 megalitres to an irrigable area of about 25,000 hectares extending in a broad arc from north of Hobart through the Coal River Valley to Orielton, Sorell and as far as the Forcett area. The schedule is for the scheme to be completed ahead of the 2014-15 irrigation season. Interestingly enough, the whole area that I referred to there—the Coal River Valley and Orielton as far as Forcett—historically was known as the wheat basket of Australia. In colonial times particularly, that was where a great deal of the wheat was grown that provided for the needs of our growing country during its colonial stage. In recent times, changing conditions have meant that that has not been possible. This irrigation scheme should see that area flourish once again.

Tasmanian Irrigation is examining water development in catchments in north-east Tasmania. The Upper Ringarooma Irrigation Scheme is expected to go to water sales next month now that the business case has been approved by the Tasmanian government.    Preferred options for the Great Forester and Brid catchments, the Southern Highlands in the Bothwell area, and the Dial Blythe in the north-west have also been developed.

I have really been concentrating on irrigation then, but in an area like Tasmania—as I am sure my colleague Senator Bushby would agree—it means that Tasmania can take its place quite proudly where it should be as the food bowl of the country. Irrigation, of course, is key, but there are many, many other things that need to be done to make sure that agriculture, fisheries and forestry have a good future in our state. Some of the key achievements in the primary industry area recently in my home state have been in effective management of biosecurity threats, including through risk assessment of imports, barrier interventions, surveillance and emergency response training for staff and industry.

We have recently seen the Macquarie Harbour salmon expansion receive approval for an amendment to the Macquarie Harbour marine farm planning development in May, and this amended plan has been provided to the Commonwealth for consideration under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. We are optimistic that that will be the case. This is a huge body of water, and over time, given where some of the farms have been placed, they are not necessarily 100 per cent compatible with the growing tourism industry. The new plan will mean not only that there will be an expansion in the area but that the farms will be moved so that they can work more closely with the tourism industry, which is of course huge in the area.

We have seen the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture continue its world-class research, development, extension and education activities, providing support to the farming sector that exceeds anything that is available interstate. I am very proud to say that Tasmania has also introduced a ban on sow stalls, brought forward to mid-2013, in partnership with industry and supported by half a million dollars in the budget allocation. The phase-out of cage egg production, initiated in partnership with industry, is also occurring. There is a review of the RSPCA underway with a view to recommending actions required to achieve a financially sustainable position. I am sure that animal welfare is at the heart of all people in this place.

Labor in Tasmania has entered a partnership agreement with the University of Tasmania to form the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, IMAS. The Sustainable Marine Research Collaboration Agreement underpins the operation and governance of IMAS, and it is an internationally recognised institute. In Tasmania there are scholarships being provided for a degree of Master of Business Administration (Professional) in Agricultural Innovation at the University of Tasmania. The Inland Fisheries Service has entered into an MOU with tourism bodies to align marketing strategies so they can work together to extend brand partnership activities as well as facilitating communication for activities relating to inland fisheries and tourism.

People would know very well that forestry in Tasmania is going through some fairly challenging times. Whilst I do not pretend to be an expert on the issue of forestry, I do take some umbrage at some of the comments made by the previous speaker when he referred to events of the 2004 election, which did in fact see the 'F' in the CFMEU support then Prime Minister Howard—actually on the same stage at a forum in Launceston. It is something that most Tasmanians, and indeed all Labor people, were extremely sad to see. I think we can track some of the difficulties we have in forestry in Tasmania today back to the fact that we were subjected to the results of that election and received the funding under the Howard government at the time which kept a lot of unsustainable practices going.

One could wonder if the result of that election had been different and we had had the then leader Mark Latham become Prime Minister with his promise of a very large amount—I cannot remember the exact number off the top of my head, but I do think it was in excess of $800 million back then—to look at restructuring our industry whether we would be in the difficulties we are in today.

But this federal Labor government has nailed its colours to the mast and made sure that it is standing up and prepared to help with the restructuring of Tasmania's forestry industry through the Tasmanian forestry intergovernmental agreement. I can only hope to see a good end to that process. We have had difficulties around forestry in our state for a long time now. That asset is valued by all Tasmanians—sometimes from a slightly different perspective, but definitely valued. To see a mutually acceptable end to the negotiations that are currently going on as I speak would be a good thing for all of Tasmania. This federal government has made a considerable sum of money available—I believe it is in excess of $120 million—to help facilitate that.

So for members opposite to stand up in this place and say that Labor members do not understand rural Australia, that they do not stand up for rural Australia, that they do not hold dearly in their hearts our farmers, our farming practices, our fishermen and our forest workers is, quite frankly, completely wrong. Labor is a party for all workers. To us it does not matter whether they work in the city or in the country. In fact, it might behove our members to look back in history and remember the shearers strikes and some of the things that happened under that tree to make us all remember where the roots of the Labor Party are and where they always will be—and that is in the heart of the land on which we live.